Do you think political instability led to an economic prosperity in medieval India? Why?
- Though there was political instability among rulers in India, there was growth in economic prosperity simultaneously
- For example, Surat was the gateway for trade with West Asia and also been called the gate to Mecca because many pilgrim ships set sail from here
- All kinds of people of all castes and creed lived here.
- In the 17th century, Portuguese, Dutch, English had their factories and warehouses in Surat
- According to an English chronicler who wrote accounts on activities on port, stated that a hundred ships of different countries can be anchored at the port at any given time
- The textiles of Surat were famous for their gold lace borders (zari) and had a market in West Asia, Africa and Europe
- The seths or mahajans had huge banking houses in Surat and the city also had magnificent buildings and many parks